Newton PTO Councilhttps://newtonptocouncil.org
The Newton PTO Council is an umbrella organization composed of all 21 PTOs in Newton, MA. Its members are the current and past presidents of each PTO. The Council’s ultimate purpose is to support all Newton parents in the quest for the highest quality of education in the city.Sun, 18 Nov 2018 16:31:25 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8An Invitation to a Special Event on Sat. Dec. 1sthttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2018/10/15/an-invitation-to-a-special-event-on-sat-dec-1st/
Mon, 15 Oct 2018 18:23:04 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=10702Continue reading →]]>Dear Newton Families,

For the past few years, the Newton Public Schools have hosted the Newton Family Conference – a conference for Black/African-American and Latino/Hispanic families to provide opportunities for learning, connection, and discussion. Because the event has been so informative and helpful, this year we are expanding it to invite ALL NPS families.

We postponed last spring’s conference to this fall and now I am pleased to invite you to the 2018 Newton Family Conference to be held on Saturday, December 1st from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Newton North High School. The goal of the Newton Family Conference is to build relationships between families of color and white families within the district; advance dialogue around issues of race, culture, and identity; and create opportunities for families within NPS to meet each other. The Family Conference is one way in which the Newton Public School District is seeking to create culturally responsive school communities with equity and excellence for all.

Participants at the conference will attend workshops on “Courageous Conversations About Race” facilitated by NPS trained facilitators. These sessions will be similar to the workshops in which Newton faculty and staff are participating. In addition, we will offer sessions at the conference that will provide parents with ideas and strategies for talking to their children about race. Our goal is for you to partner with us as we strive to make our Newton school community welcoming and inclusive to all students and families.

To facilitate your participation, limited childcare, provided by Newton classroom aides and high school students, will be available for children in grades K-5. Please RSVP at: https://2018familyconference.eventbrite.com. Workshop online selection forms will be emailed by November 5th to those that RSVP.

I hope you will consider attending what should be an excellent conference.

For the past seven years, the Newton Public Schools have been the target of outside groups claiming anti-Israel bias in our history curriculum. These baseless claims, often reliant upon materials and documents taken out of context, are misleading and only serve to denigrate the hard work and professionalism of our skilled and dedicated faculty.

In recent months, the attacks have grown increasingly and unjustly personal. Our history teachers have been singled out, harassed and subjected to harsh and unfair criticism in the media and online. As a result, there is growing concern among our faculty about teaching controversial topics. Should these attacks continue, we worry it will jeopardize our ability to expose students to diverse opinions and to teach them about controversial issues that require open minds and critical thought.

We stand behind our faculty members, who are guided by the mission and values of the Newton Public Schools and their professional judgment. Whether it is the history of the Middle East or contemporary American politics, they are committed to engaging students around complex and challenging issues in a responsible, intellectual and balanced way.

In every class, our teachers work to ensure that students learn to separate fact from opinion, discern between different points of view, challenge their own thinking and that of their peers, and develop evidence-based opinions through study and the testing of ideas. They also provide space for students to actively listen, particularly to those voices in the minority – whether it be political, racial, ethnic, religious, or gender.

As always, we encourage our families to bring any questions about curriculum to their child’s teacher or department head. Information and teaching materials are always available to families and our administrators and faculty are happy to discuss them. For more information on teaching controversial topics in the Newton Public Schools, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions on our website.

The City of Newton’s recycling contains 18 percent contamination. Contractually, the City is required to have a contamination rate of less than 10 percent. As a result, the City was charged $6,120 in fines last month and we have paid $65,611 in fines so far in 2018. This is a direct impact Newton is facing due to the global recycling markets downturn you may have heard about this year.

The City of Newton is embarking on a focused initiative to educate our residents and lower our contamination rate. We received a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to fund a robust education campaign, help us inspect what’s in the recycling carts and to communicate that information to residents.

Beginning next week, on Monday, October 1, we will be performing curbside inspections of residential recycling carts. Contaminated carts will first receive a warning and specific feedback on what issue was found.

If, after a warning is issued, a cart is found to again contain contamination, it will not be collected that week. A tag indicating the issue found will be left on the cart handle and we will also send a follow up letter. Once the issue has been corrected, the cart will be collected the following week.

We know that recycling has become increasingly complex in recent years and that our education efforts have not been effective in keeping up with this growing complexity.

Contamination in our recycling typically comes in two forms:

1) Materials that belong in the green cart but are not prepared correctly. For example, contamination occurs when there is still food in a plastic container or a half-filled bottle of juice. Containers should be empty and clean (just a quick rinse) before being placed in the green cart.

2) Materials that do not belong in the green cart. The most common contaminant is plastic bags. Other contaminants include other plastic film (such as the wrap around a case of bottled water), food, liquids, textiles, toys and electronics.

The only materials that belong in the green cart are empty bottles, jars, and containers made of metal, plastic and glass from the kitchen, laundry and bath, and paper and flattened cardboard.

We believe deeply in diverting waste whenever possible to lessen our environmental footprint. But, unless you are absolutely certain that something is recyclable in the green cart, put it in the trash instead. Think – “When in doubt, throw it out!”
I know it will be difficult for you if we reject your cart because of contaminated materials and we don’t pick it up for a week.

For more information about how to recycle correctly, check out the mobile Recycle Right Newton app or get information here. Thanks for your help and your commitment to a more sustainable Newton.

Liam Hurley, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, was joined by Julie Kirrane, Director of Business and Planning, and Sean Manion, Director of Finance to present the FY18 Final Fiscal and Operational Report. In summary, FY18 ended with a small surplus and a healthy carryover to help this year’s budget. Our first look at the FY19 Fiscal and Operational Report will take place in October.

Liam Hurley and Julie Kirrane were joined by David Stickney, Director of Facilities, to present an update on our summer facilities work, as well as the FY19 Update to the Long-Range Plan and the Capital Improvement Plan. A notable takeaway was the incredible amount of work done over the summer. Over 250 projects were completed in 34 days, a testament to the Public Buildings and Facilities teams’ great efforts. Another key discussion point was the revised long-range facilities timeline. The time estimates for projects were extended based on recent experience, and project order has been updated based on conditions and enrollment pressures. The next major school projects will be Lincoln-Eliot and the NECP (150 Jackson St), Countryside, Ward, and Franklin. Discussion included ideas of smaller projects at Ward and Franklin that could help improve living conditions at these buildings while they await their major renovations.

Stephen Marshall, Grants & Business Analyst, presented a list of grant awards and gifts. The School Committee votes unanimously to accept these donations.

We hope you found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/2227). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
The Newton School Committee
schoolcommittee@newton.k12.ma.us

The NPS administrative team presented a second look at our 2018 – 2019 System-Wide goals. Notable additions are several curriculum changes including expansion of Investigations 3 Math curriculum in elementary, introduction of Illustrative Math curriculum in middle schools, and several updates to our science and social studies curriculum.

The School Committee unanimously voted to approve several policy additions and updates including JFABE (Military Childen), JFABF (Foster Care) and JRA (School Records)

The School Committee unanimously voted to approve a new private school in Newton called Fusion Academy. It is important to note that this vote is required by law and is not an endorsement of the school.

We hope you found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/2227). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

I hope you have enjoyed the summer. It is a great pleasure to welcome both our returning families and those new to our schools.

The start of a school year is a wonderful time for anyone involved in education because it allows us to develop new goals, build new relationships and embark upon new challenges. At the same time, I recognize that these transitions bring about mixed emotions for both students and families. One of my children reminded me of this several years ago at this time when he asked me “why can’t summer go on forever?”

Summer is an important time for adult learning in Newton and the conference we hosted for our educators this summer was one that made me proud. The conference featured Newton faculty and administrators facilitating training sessions for their colleagues on a range of important topics related to both the academic and social and emotional aspects of race and student achievement. The conference was one example of the professional learning that occurs over the summer and I am proud that we have the expertise amongst our own staff to take on these important goals, which also include updating and improving our curriculum based on new standards and student learning styles.

While we recognize that a skilled and dedicated teacher is the most important ingredient to high quality student learning, we also know that effective use of technology has the potential to support the work of students and teachers. In that spirit, we will expand the one-to-one technology pilot from last year and provide a Chromebook to all 10th grade students this year. We are hopeful that this initiative will provide our faculty with greater opportunities to use technology to enhance learning in class and to ensure that all students have access to technology at home. After this year, we hope to extend this initiative to all high school grade levels.

It is essential that we work with families to create school communities that are inclusive, supportive, and healthy environments for our students to learn and grow. As a school district, it is our job to educate your child, but also to provide you with resources to help you and your student navigate complex issues. Last year, we held a very successful parent workshop on “Living in a Smartphone World.” It was clear to us that this was a topic of significant interest to families that warrants further exploration by our district. Again, this year, we will hold a community forum and we will be looking for your input on issues that are most relevant to you and your family.

One of the most important parts of my job is to be in our schools on a regular basis working with staff and students. Together with School Committee members, and working closely with our PTOs, I will again visit each of our 22 schools to speak with you about district initiatives and listen to your ideas, questions, and concerns. Using social media, it is our hope to expand the dialogue and conversation this year to share more about all the good work happening in our district and to hear from you about the information and resources that are important to you. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You may also sign up for regular updates from our School Committee here.

Our partnership with you and the larger Newton community is critical to our success. Please accept my best wishes for a wonderful school year.

]]>Important information for votershttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2018/08/24/important-information-for-voters/
Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:23:18 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=10393Continue reading →]]>Here is some important information for voters from the League of Women Voters of Newton:

• The State Primary Election is on Tuesday, September 4th, which is the day after Labor Day

• If you need an absentee ballot (because there is no early voting in this September election), the deadline to file an application is on Friday, August 31st. This is the Friday before Labor Day.

As part of our district’s commitment to creating welcoming, supportive, and safe communities for all, we have worked together over the past year with Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ), a parent-led group in Newton. It is our hope to provide interested families with opportunities, information, and resources to become better equipped to address issues of race, culture, and identity with their children. Last year, the work was focused in our elementary schools and this year will expand to our middle and high schools.

To facilitate this effort, we are working with Amy Behrens, a FORJ Leader, diversity educator, and parent coach and Gloria Pascual, a seasoned community leader in Boston and Framingham, who will be the FORJ Co-Coordinators for 2018-2019. They, and a diverse set of parent leaders, will continue supporting parent volunteers from all Newton schools to help them:

· Identify needs and action plans specific to their schools

· Create opportunities, through events and activities, for face-to-face conversations and dialogue

· Provide families with valuable information, tools, and resources

Amy and Gloria will work in concert with PTOs and existing school groups to develop personalized programs for each school community. The work will rely on volunteers interested in engaging their schools on issues of race, culture, and identity. Please sign up here https://goo.gl/forms/ZBa8uQTcKkUeLXHC2 OR email Amy at amy@amybehrens.com to be placed on the mailing list for information about upcoming meetings.

The first FORJ meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, October 2nd 7:30-9pm at the Angier Elementary School, 1697 Beacon St, Waban, MA 02468, accessible by the Waban T stop on the Green D Line.

We are eager to continue expanding this partnership with families this school year. I hope that you will consider getting involved.

With over 1800 views, our first School Committee “Virtual Office Hours” was a huge success. We held our second one last night and you can view the video on the district Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/newtonps.

To start, we held a public meeting and voted unanimously to decline participation in the Massachusetts School Choice program. To clarify, this is not related to school choice for Newton residents within the district. The School Choice program allows students from outside of Newton to apply to attend Newton Public Schools. It is a statewide program in which districts can choose to participate or not. This public meeting and vote is required by law and it is a decision that must be reaffirmed annually.

Toby Romer and Mary Eich were joined by Interim IT Director Tom Gwin, to provide an update on the One Student/One Device Pilot. The pilot will continue next year when, starting in January, Chromebooks are planned to be distributed to the entire 10th grade at Newton North and Newton South. To learn more about the program and to view the presentation to the School Committee, visit: www.newton.k12.ma.us/laptop.

Members of the Equity Committee presented an update to the Equity Guidelines. Most notable changes to the guidelines were a lowered per pupil spending cap of $80 and the formation of a Working Group to consider pooled PTO funds.

We had a chance to recognize Newton Public School students including:

Our Newton School Committee student representatives, Brooke Hackel, Michael Ryter and Max Teszler, all who are graduating this year.

The Newton North Graphic Design students who participated in the project to redesign the district logo: Arthur Dutra, Liam MacIntyre, Mia Patriacca, Emma Nephtali, Li Shandross and Grant Yee. A special thank you to Li Shandross for designing the logo chosen for district use.

Lastly, we unanimously voted to relocate the Horace Mann Elementary School to 225 Nevada Street, currently the site of the Carr Building, in September 2019. This was the official vote to affirm the long-term facilities plan we have been using.

June 18th @7PM: SEPAC Update, High School Start Time Update, Fiscal and Operational Update and Facilities Update, Discussion of Superintendent’s Assessment.

We hope you have found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/domain/69). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below. Have a wonderful week!

This update is for the 03/26/2018 and 04/02/2018 Newton School Committee meetings, as well as additional information about recent program open houses:

1). At both 3/26 and 4/2 meetings, the main topic was the 2018-2019 proposed budget. The question and answer periods were relatively short as we had covered quite a bit of ground at our previous budget meetings (see previous newsletters). The meeting ended with a unanimous straw vote supporting the budget proposal.

2). At the 3/26 meeting we discussed a draft revision of the policy: Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use for Students. The impetus for the new draft was the new requirement for SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) screening. SBIRT is an evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs This is a verbal screening for students in grades 7 and 9. A number of revisions were suggested and a final draft will be proposed at an upcoming meeting.

3). School Committee Members were invited to a open houses at Central High School located at 100 Walnut Street and the Harbor Program on the campus of Newton South High School. The facilities for both programs are in renovated spaces as of September 2018. Directors and faculty of both programs discussed how the renovated spaces have made a positive impact on addressing student needs. Central High School, as described by the NPS website, is a small, highly structured, therapeutic setting with a behavior management system built into the school day. The Harbor Program, previously known as the High School Stabilization Program, is a short term program for students in crisis. This program allows students to continue their courses of study with additional clinical supports.

We hope you have found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/domain/69).

Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

“To continue the forward momentum toward achieving key system goals and preserve the programs and supports we have built over the last several years, while addressing growing high school enrollment, our largest elementary and middle schools, and the increasing social and emotional needs of students.”

There are no major cuts, and the budget proposal supports some program improvements.

Please note, we will have a public hearing at 6:30pm on April 2nd and look forward to hearing your thoughts. You are also welcome to speak at public comment Monday, March 26th.

Here are some key takeaways from the March 19th meeting:

Assistant Principal positions are being added to Franklin, Mason-Rice and Angier.

Reduction of 2 elementary classrooms/teachers based on enrollment declines. Class sizes will not increase.

Addition of 0.5 Full Time Employee (FTE) at Day (Student Services administrator) and 0.5 FTE at Oak Hill (teacher)

Five full-time teachers are being added to our High Schools due to enrollment increases.

An additional 0.5 FTE math coach and purchase of materials to support the rollout of the new elementary math curriculum, Investigations 3.0, to all grade levels.

One-time funds are being used to purchase 1,000 Chromebooks to be added to the current high school supply.

We hope you have found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/domain/69). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are eager to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the information below.

On Monday night at the School Committee meeting, I shared with the community that the district is postponing the Family Conference scheduled for Saturday, March 24th. A new date has not yet been set, but we aim to reschedule the event in Fall 2018.

We are disappointed to postpone the conference as it has been such a valuable experience for participants in previous years. However, there are March for Our Lives events in Boston and across the country now occurring that afternoon and some of our facilitators and participants would like to attend. In order to have a successful conference, it is essential that we have the right facilitators there to share information and guide the conversations.

The Newton Family Conference is one way in which the Newton Public School District is seeking to create culturally responsive school communities. While the conference is postponed for now, our work with faculty and staff around Courageous Conversations on Race will continue, as laid out in our six-year plan. Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) will also continue to support parent/family groups as they seek to explore issues of race in their individual schools.

We look forward to continuing this work through the end of the year and hope that we will see you next fall at the Family Conference.

I write to you with great sadness as our nation faces yet another tragedy in our school buildings. Our hearts go out to our fellow educators and all the students and families in Parkland, Florida. It is incomprehensible that these tragedies continue to occur and an important reminder that we must be prepared.

The Newton Public Schools have many systems in place to ensure that our schools are safe. Research demonstrates that some of the most important safety work we do is the support of the social and emotional health of our students. We know that it is most important for students to feel connected to their school community and supported by their peers, teachers, and other trusted adults. When we create connections and support, faculty and staff can more effectively address student needs or concerns when they arise. Some of the social and emotional initiatives we have in place include:

Signs of Suicide (SOS) curriculum and screenings of 7th, 9th, and 11th grade students

School connectedness surveys now conducted regularly at all levels

Responsive school/home and other social/emotional support programs

Anti-bullying programs and reporting system

Mental health professionals, including psychologists, counselors, or social workers in all buildings

Close partnerships with City of Newton Health and Human Services department and outside agencies

In addition to the social and emotional efforts, we do have robust safety and security systems and protocols in place to create secure buildings. We work very closely with our city partners on prevention, preparedness and response to a wide range of scenarios. In addition, we are currently working with an outside security expert to revise all our emergency protocols, which are aligned with current best practices in school safety and Massachusetts state guidelines. We expect these new protocols to be finalized this spring and implemented next fall.

The following is a list of some (not all) of the current systems we have in place in our district and our schools:

District-wide safety team that meets regularly to review, assess, and modify safety and crisis response protocols and procedures. The team is comprised of district, mental health, fire, police, and health department personnel

Building-based crisis teams focused on crisis prevention, preparedness and response at the school level

Close partnership with police and fire departments to ensure rapid and coordinated emergency response

Regular practice of emergency procedures, including lockdowns and shelter-in-place protocols

Emergency radios in all schools with direct connection to first responders

In light of the Florida tragedy, all of our district and building-based teams will be thoroughly reviewing safety procedures at their next meeting. In addition, Newton North and Newton South are identifying ways in which they can make security enhancements. We engage in this work knowing that these buildings were designed to be open campus environments in accordance with our educational philosophy. In doing so, we will be looking at procedures used at our neighboring high schools that also maintain an open campus.

We will continue to be vigilant in implementing our social and emotional support programs as well as reviewing and modifying our safety and security procedures and protocols. It is important that we partner with you in this endeavor and ask that if you see anything that is a safety concern, please do not hesitate to contact a teacher, counselor, or administrator.

Thank you for your understanding and support during these troubling times.

Please save the date for a special superintendent’s forum entitled: “Living in a Smartphone World: What does it mean for students, families, and educators?”

Inspired by the Atlantic Monthly piece entitled “Have smartphones destroyed a generation?” the forum will provide information and resources on the impact of technology and social media, as well as the opportunity to discuss the role of educators and families in navigating this space.

Forum details are as follows:

When: Wednesday, December 6th
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Newton South Auditorium
The panel discussion will be hosted by Boston Globe writer Beth Teitell and include both Newton educators and experts from outside the district.

I hope you have enjoyed the summer. It is a great pleasure to welcome both our returning families and those new to our schools.

We begin this school year in the wake of the stunning events in Charlottesville. The display of hate was incomprehensible as it stands in stark contrast to the values of the Newton Public Schools. As a system, we reject hate, prejudice and discrimination. Creating a school community that is welcoming and supportive for all students, no matter their race, background, or identity, is at the core of our mission.

Now more than ever, we must be intentional about the work we have long been doing in support of racial justice, equity, and social and emotional learning. The work is imperative if we expect our graduates to be thoughtful and engaged citizens of an increasingly diverse, complex and connected world. This year, we will expand our professional work with faculty and staff on Courageous Conversations on Race. We will also continue our partnership with the Anti-Defamation League and explore new opportunities for students to lead their peers in addressing issues of bias and discrimination.

It is essential that we work with families in order to ensure that our students respect one another’s differences and stand up when they see injustice and discrimination. Last year, we held a very successful parent workshop on how to talk to children about race. This year, we plan to expand our efforts at the school level to provide families with tools and information to engage in conversations about race, culture, and identity.

As we focus on the learning happening inside our schools and classrooms, we are also excited for the improvement to the physical buildings in our district. The new Zervas School will open on the first day of school, welcoming faculty, staff, and students to a dynamic new learning environment. With Angier and Zervas now complete, we turn our attention to the renovation of Cabot School. Construction has begun with Cabot students now in our Carr swing space. We will continue work on our long-range facilities plan to improve school buildings for our students and staff.

One of the most important parts of my job is to be in our schools on a regular basis working with staff and students. Together with School Committee members, and working closely with our PTOs, I will again visit each of our 22 schools to speak with you about district initiatives and listen to your ideas, questions, and concerns. This year, we will continue to explore the very best ways to share information and include all families in our district conversations. Our partnership with you and the larger Newton community is critical to our success.

PTO Council had a very informative meeting with our state delegation at our May meeting. Thank you so much Ruth B. Balser, Kay Khan and Cynthia S. Creem for taking your time to join us and for your hard work at the statehouse.

Addressing the social and emotional needs of our students is an important system goal. It is essential that we work in partnership with families on important issues that impact our students. I am writing because we have become aware that many of our students are watching and discussing a new Netflix series entitled 13 Reasons Why, the content of which is challenging and difficult.

The series is based on a young adult novel by Jay Asher originally published in 2011. The story focuses on a high school student who dies by suicide, leaving behind 13 tapes detailing why she took her own life. The Netflix series contains graphic scenes of suicide and sexual assault/rape. It also addresses issues of cyber-bullying, alcoholism, and depression.

As a community that has felt the tragic impact of youth suicide, we are particularly concerned about the content of this series. These issues are extraordinarily challenging and may be difficult for some students to process in a healthy and appropriate way. We want to ensure that families are not only aware of the show, but are equipped with resources to help them address these issues with their children.

As a family, we encourage you to:

Check in with your child to find out if they have watched the show or what they might know about it.

If they want to see the show, watch it with them or preview it for them. You are the best person to determine if your child is prepared to handle the content.

If they have already watched it, take the opportunity to open a dialogue about the important yet difficult issues portrayed in the story.

The following resources provide important guidance on the issues addressed in the show, as well as talking points for having a meaningful conversation with your child.

We know these issues are challenging and I hope this information is helpful. If you have any concerns, please reach out to your child’s school counselor directly.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools

]]>Donor Will Match $25,000 for Calculus Project in March!https://newtonptocouncil.org/2017/03/07/donor-will-match-25000-calculus-project-march/
Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:20:18 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=8357Continue reading →]]>The Newton Schools Foundation is honored for the second consecutive year to have a very generous donor who will match up to $25,000 in contributions from the community to the Calculus Project during the month of March.

The Calculus Project has been transformational for Newton students. Since its 2013 launch, enrollment growth in high-level mathematics among traditionally underrepresented student groups is significant:

Here’s how the program works: Calculus Project students attend intensive small-group
summer classes to preview upcoming curriculum, boost their math skills, foster attitudes
that support academic risk-taking and perseverance, and cultivate relationships among
peers in the program. During the school year, students receive mentoring and after-school
academic support. The program also uses lessons and activities designed to improve self-
perceptions about academic accomplishment.

Your support this year will help deepen and extend the Calculus Project’s reach.
Currently serving 109 students in grades 7-10, the program will welcome a new cohort of
30 incoming 7th graders this summer. If we successfully complete this match challenge,
the resulting $50,000 will support nearly half of the students in the Calculus Program for
this coming year—including the entire new 7th grade cohort.

At a cost of $1,000 per student for a full year of programming, the Calculus Project’s
success depends on a public-private partnership between the Newton Public Schools,
private foundations and corporate donors, and generous individuals like you.
Please help us meet the donor match challenge. Please Donate today!

Over the past few days and weeks, I have received questions from community members about how recent federal actions on immigration and transgender guidelines impact our school community. These messages have expressed anxiety and uncertainty, as well as a desire to know where the Newton Public Schools stands in light of these events.

Regardless of federal actions, the Newton Public Schools strongly reaffirms our commitment to create welcoming, supportive, and safe school communities for all students and staff, no matter their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or immigration status.

Last week, the Newton City Council voted to become a “Welcoming City,” a city that protects all residents, regardless of legal status. In the same spirit, the Newton Public Schools welcomes all students, no matter where they were born or how they arrived in Newton.

As I visit our schools, I find students from all over the world who are learning and thriving in our classrooms. It is this diversity that gives all of our students such a rich and powerful student experience. The global community in our schools is preparing our students to thrive and succeed in a global world.

Diversity is not solely defined by race or ethnicity; it is multi-faceted, affording us the opportunity to teach acceptance, appreciation, and respect for each and every individual. To this end, I am proud of the real progress we have made in creating welcoming and safe spaces for our transgender students at all levels. Just recently, I had the privilege of listening to a transgender student speak about his experience. It was gratifying to hear about the comfort and acceptance he feels among his peers and within his school community. This reflects the commitment of our staff, our students, and our families.

We are fortunate in Massachusetts to be backed by state statute that ensures protections for all students and prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Our NPS non-discrimination policy also specifies the rights and protections for gender identity and we have created the appropriate spaces in schools so that transgender students feel safe and comfortable.

We will continue to work hard every day to create school communities in which all students and adults feel safe and supported. Thank you for your partnership and for your ongoing support.

Over the past few years, the Newton Public Schools have undertaken the important work of addressing issues of race, bias, and culture. We have a number of exciting initiatives underway for both staff and students. Recent events in our community and across the country have made this work more important than ever.

Earlier this year, I was approached by a group of parents interested in learning more about how we extend the work we are doing in the classrooms to the home and to the larger Newton community. To that end, I am pleased to invite you to a community forum: “Talking to Children about Race: Why and How?” to be held on Wednesday, March 22 nd at 7:00 p.m. at Angier School (1697 Beacon St.).

The session, led by Horace Mann Elementary teacher Mike Feldstein and METCO director Maricel Sheets, is designed for a K-5 parent audience and will:

Allow reflection of your own experiences around issues of race and racism

Demonstrate the importance of early conversations with children on race

Provide “how-to” help for guiding children and answering challenging questions

Highlight resources available to help parents and families navigate the issues

As one who has participated in Mike and Maricel’s workshops, I can tell you that they are lively, engaging and meaningful. Our country is becoming more diverse and we are fortunate that many of our students are exposed to differences at a young age. As a school district, we must continue to help our students develop positive racial identities and attitudes so that they can comfortably and productively navigate in all settings. There is no greater gift we can give our children than ensuring that they are prepared to be active, engaged, and respectful citizens of our diverse world.

Each year the event brings together elected officials, the business community, volunteer service clubs, health and human service organizations, the Newton schools, religious congregations and other members of the Newton community to voice our support of the philosophy that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.

Newton’s diversity is evidenced by the fact that over sixty different linguistic groups are represented within the City’s School system. A broad variety of backgrounds and cultures are spread among Newton’s thirteen villages. The mix of the many races, creeds, and ethnicities in our community is a treasured resource to be nurtured, protected and celebrated.

This past year, with two publicized incidents of racist and anti-Semitic behavior. Newton’s leadership jumped in quickly to take corrective action with the offenders, and sent us all a reminder of the ideals noted above.

An important part of the Celebration is the initiative of the Newton Rotary Club to answer the call from the Newton Food Pantries by donating toiletry items as noted on the Celebration flyer.

We are reminded of the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., ” Life’s Most Persistent and Urgent Question is, What are We Doing for Others”. In response to this question, Rotary members will be providing boxes at the event for attendees to drop off their donations. Drop-offs after the Celebration may be made at the office of The Presti Group Realty, 701 Washington Street in Newton.

]]>NewtonSERVES: Building Community Through Servicehttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2017/01/03/newtonserves-building-community-service/
Wed, 04 Jan 2017 01:11:48 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=8113The next NewtonSERVES day of service will be held Sunday April 30th! SAVE THE DATE….. more details to follow!

We are excited to announce that the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs has a new weekly column in the Newton TAB. It is called ‘Spotlight On…’ and it showcases all the arts in Newton. This is an opportunity for you also to promote any cultural or artistic person, activity or group you are involved with.

Please send an email to Linda (lplaut@newtonma.gov) before Wednesday, for publication in the following week issue of the TAB, with one or two sentences (60 words or less) sharing this information. Last week’s column featured a call for sculptors for the upcoming Festival of the Arts. If you, or someone you know locally is a sculptor and would be interested in being part of the outdoor sculpture exhibition at Newton City Hall, please visit this link http://www.newtoncommunitypride.org/festival/sculpture.html

As always, keep checking our new free on-line calendar of the Arts at www.newtonartscalendar.org for everything cultural going on in Newton. And keep an eye on www.newtoncommunitypride.org for the Spelling Bee and Heartbreak Hill Road Race registrations, and the Tanglewood Marionettes “Cinderella” in February vacation.

Linda and I would like to wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.

Jeannie Smith, Associate Director
Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs

]]>Your generosity can make a differencehttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2016/12/11/generosity-can-make-difference/
Sun, 11 Dec 2016 21:50:47 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=8057Continue reading →]]>Your generosity can make a difference for thousands of Newton students. Donations from generous Newton businesses and individuals like you are enabling Newton Schools Foundation to fund a vast array of new and enhanced educational opportunities for our kids! Thanks to your support:

1,760 elementary school students have deepened their writing skills led by teachers trained by the NSF-funded Summer Writing Institute; this year middle school students are receiving similarly enhanced writing instruction.

780 tweens and teens have broader access to social and emotional supports through NSF-funded middle school advisory programs.

36 high school sophomores and juniors are taking exciting new interdisciplinary courses in STEAM through the DaVinci Program at Newton South, which was piloted last year and will continue to roll out to include seniors. At Newton North, 20 students/year are enrolled in an interdisciplinary Science and Society elective.

More low-income students and students of color are achieving in advanced mathematics as 110 middle and high school students participate in the Calculus Project. An additional 30 rising seventh graders will enroll this summer.

Without your support, these programs—and many others funded by Newton Schools Foundation—would not be possible. Your partnership with Newton Schools Foundation will continue the good work of the Newton Public Schools to pilot and launch initiatives that promote academic achievement, social/emotional wellness and equity for Newton students across all grades in our 21 elementary, middle and high schools.

]]>Lighting celebration at City Hall December 1sthttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2016/11/27/lighting-celebration-city-hall-december-1/
Sun, 27 Nov 2016 15:55:40 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=8002Continue reading →]]>Start the Holiday Season off with a cheerful evening of song, hot chocolate and fun! Sing-along with the Stacey Peasley Band – an award-winning band whose music is joyful and playful – as they play your favorite holiday songs. Then, enjoy some hot chocolate courtesy of PhysicianOne Urgent Care, or tea from David’s Tea, and delicious snack bars donated by KIND, as you watch a “Rockettes” performance by Creative Dance Steps Studio.

All of this excitement builds up to the Grande Finale of Mayor Setti Warren flipping the switch that turns the grounds into a twinkling winterland! Please bring a donation for Newton’s Food Pantries. For more information, visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org or call 617-796-1540.

December 1st, 6:00 pm
Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue

]]>High School Start Time Forum – October 19th at 7:00 pmhttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2016/10/12/high-school-start-time-forum-october-19th-700-pm-2/
Thu, 13 Oct 2016 00:28:04 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=7802Continue reading →]]>On Wednesday, October 19th, the district will host a community forum on potential changes to the high school start time. The forum is an opportunity for you to provide your feedback on the positive and negative impacts of a start time change. Several potential scenarios will be presented. Some change only the high school hours. Others change school hours at all schools. The working group’s year-end report can be found on the district website. Potential scenarios can be found here. Attached is a flyer on the forum. Please consider attending to share your feedback. Or, email your thoughts to laterstart@newton.k12.ma.us.
]]>Newton Inspires 2016https://newtonptocouncil.org/2016/10/12/newton-inspires-2016/
Thu, 13 Oct 2016 00:21:07 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=7800Continue reading →]]>Register for Newton Inspires TODAY!

On November 14th, people from across Newton’s 13 villages once again will gather at Newton South High School for NSF’s 6th annual Newton Inspires: An Evening of Ideas and Community.

Newtonians representing a variety of fields and interest areas will share their insights, ideas and impressions. Be Inspired at Newton Inspires. Sessions fill fast so don’t delay signing up.

November 14th, 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Newton South HS

]]>No Regrets: Newton and the Opioid Epidemichttps://newtonptocouncil.org/2016/09/25/no-regrets-newton-opioid-epidemic-2/
Sun, 25 Sep 2016 16:28:36 +0000http://newtonptocouncil.org/?p=7724Continue reading →]]>Join Mayor Setti D. Warren and Rep. Kay Khan at the program No Regrets: Newton and the Opioid Epidemic. Featuring If Only, a short film by James Wahlberg and an interactive panel discussion with special guest Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and others affected by this epidemic.